Thinking of Starting a Business? Solve the Skills Gap With Online Education
Skills are in high demand in the new economy workforce. Train tomorrow's workers and uncover a lucrative opportunity.
Courtesy Company
College costs are soaring, and the job market remains tight, creating opportunities for companies that offer low-cost--or free--education and skills training via the Internet. You will face a new wave of start-ups that's a far cry from the diploma mills that have drawn scorn from accreditors; several boast executives from top universities, like Stanford.
But it may take time for new startups to prove their worth to employers and students. Also, universities such as Harvard and MIT are developing their own initiatives.
It's about content
The content segment of online education could hit $72.9 billion in 2017, according to researcher MarketsandMarkets.
You won't be first
Watch out for for-profit big boys Kaplan and Apollo Group, parent of the University of Phoenix, as well as educational heavy-hitters such as Harvard and MIT, which are developing their own online courses. Newer entrants include 2U, Coursera, and the Minerva Project, among many others.
VCs are intrigued
Venture capital shops New Enterprise Associates and Accel have made recent investments. So has Apollo Group.
Best prior job
Experience in a tech startup as well as in a classroom.
Industry buzzword
MOOC (massive open online course): online class open to all
